Zap

A Zap is an automated workflow in Zapier. It connects your apps with one trigger, the event that starts it, and one or more actions that run after it. When the trigger fires, the Zap passes the event's data to each action in order.

What is a Zap in Zapier?

Zapier calls every workflow you build a Zap. Say you want a Slack message for each new Stripe payment. "New payment in Stripe" is the trigger, and "send a message in Slack" is the action. Together they make one Zap.

The parts of a Zap

Every Zap has exactly one trigger and at least one action.

• Trigger. The event that starts the Zap, such as a new payment in Stripe or a new row in a spreadsheet.
• Action. What the Zap does next, such as posting a message in Slack or creating a record in a CRM.
• Built-in steps. Optional filters, paths, and Formatter steps. They decide whether the Zap continues, which branch runs, and how the data looks.

A Zap with more than one action, or with a filter or search, is a multi-step Zap. A Zap can have up to 100 steps.

Zaps on the Free plan

The Free plan allows two-step Zaps only, one trigger and one action. It doesn't include filters, paths, or Formatter, and it checks for new data every 15 minutes. The Professional plan allows multi-step Zaps and checks every 2 minutes.

How a Zap is billed

Zapier bills by task. Each action that runs successfully is one task. Triggers, filters, paths, and Formatter steps don't use tasks. A Zap that runs more often uses more tasks, and a busy month can push you onto a higher plan.

Zaps for Stripe Slack alerts

A common Zap connects Stripe to Slack. A Stripe trigger fires, a filter keeps the events you care about, and a Slack action posts a message. You map the Stripe fields into the message yourself, and each alert uses a task. ChargeBell does this one job without a Zap. It posts Stripe alerts to Slack with amounts already formatted, can show the amount after fees, and includes the MRR change on subscription alerts. Zapier still makes sense when the same event also needs to update other apps. The ChargeBell vs Zapier comparison and when to replace a Zapier Stripe alert workflow cover the choice.